While football is arguably the mainstream sport in Nigeria, basketball is increasingly penetrating the limelight. Thanks to Nigerian basketball legends who paved the way, millions of basketball lovers are emerging from Africa’s most populous nation as basketball becomes a national sporting delicacy.
Indeed, some of the world’s biggest basketball clubs now count Nigerians among their dedicated fan base, with thousands of Nigerian basketball enthusiasts leveraging top bookmaker apps like BetKing (extensively reviewed on telecomasia) for staking on their favorite basketball fixtures.
This adoption of basketball has seen some Nigerians professionally pursue basketball and excel spectacularly. This article details three Nigerian basketball legends who have made the country proud.
Hakeem Olajuwon
Hakeem Olajuwon isn’t only Nigeria’s best basketballer; he’s among the best basketball players the world has ever seen. He played most of his career with the Houston Rockets.
Perhaps the most surprising thing about this man was that he became a basketballer by chance. Karim was originally a footballer who played as a goalkeeper. The first time he played basketball was at age 15 in a local tournament in Lagos, where he discovered his love for the game.
He played his college career at the University of Houston before the Houston Rockets selected him as the first overall in the 1984 NBA Draft. Hakeem was a powerful center who could attack as much as he could defend. He was a two-time NBA Champion, a two-time NBA Finals MVP, 12 times NBA All-Star, and six times All-NBA first team, among many accomplishments.
Michael Olowokandi
Michael Olowonkandi was born in Lagos but raised in London. He was phenomenal in track and field in his school days and set many British age-grade records. Even when he entered Brunel University, he hadn’t taken basketball seriously but competed in Cricket and Rugby.
He first played basketball when he was around 17 years of age. Michael had to learn the basics of the game late, which was a huge struggle for him. However, his persistence set him up for success at the top level.
He played college basketball for the University of the Pacifics and led them to the 1997 NCAA tournament. Olowokandi was also phenomenal during his senior year and was the 1997-98 Big West Conference Player of the Year.
Los Angeles selected him as a top overall pick in the 1998 NBA Draft.
He had an impressive career in the NBA spanning over eight years, but his time in the league was cut short due to multiple knee injuries. Olowokandi was on the NBA All-Rookie Second Team in 1999.
Festus Ezeli
Festus Ezeli’s Nigerian parents wanted him to become a physician and sent him to live with his uncle (a practising paediatrician) in California.
Upon arriving in the United States, his uncle convinced him to start playing basketball because of his height. He struggled with the sport and even considered quitting at some point. However, everything changed when he joined the All-American Rebook Camp in 2007. His raw potential attracted scouts, kickstarting his journey to the NBA. He had a successful college career at Nashville before the Golden State Warriors drafted him as the 30th overall pick in 2007. The centre was instrumental to the Golden State Warrior’s NBA Championship success in 2015.
He only played in the league for five years due to injury. However, those five years were enough to cement his status as one of Nigeria’s finest basketball players. He tried unsuccessfully to make a comeback to basketball in 2021 with Westchester Knights and Rivers Hoopers, but his injuries got the better of him.
Conclusion
Nigerians have seen different top basketball players come and go. Many played in the NBA, while others had successful stints at other top professional basketball leagues. The players on this list are three of the best Nigerian basketball players in history.
Photo Credit: FIBA
